Jennifer Kem is a Brand Strategist and Marketing Expert, and the creator of Master BrandTM, the first program for small business owners based on the brand ideologies of larger, impactful brands. Her 16+ years of experience creating advertising campaigns, developing innovative products and services and guiding C-level executives to align their business strategy with their brand has produced millions of dollars in revenue for companies like Verizon, Oracle, Microsoft, Blue Cross Blue Shield and innovative start-ups in Silicon Valley.

What would you put on a giant billboard?

If she were on a giant billboard, she would want it to display a picture of different phases of a business and it would just say “If you are in business, you are never finished”. Jennifer believes that the most successful brands are pivoting all the time, they are evolving continuously. They keep on changing their approach to promote their business and keep up to date with market trends. If you are in business, always look for ways to improve, innovate while still following the best practices for marketing.

What are some of the best practices to help establish your business?

Jennifer believes there are always two important facets of a business, an operations team and a sales and marketing team. Sales and marketing team should focus on finding new and bigger opportunities to bring in revenue for the business and operations team should make sure it can fully make good use of a business opportunity and consistently earn revenue for the business. There should be a healthy tension between the sales/marketing team and operations team. To have these two components require leadership, so when Jennifer talks about two of the best practices to make consistent growth in business, it is about looking at the relationship between sales/marketing team and operations team.

Tell us about your companies.

She is the founder of KemComm Media Group which is a full-time brand experience and marketing company. KemComm mainly deals with corporate clients. They have clients like Verizon, Bank of Hawaii and Oracle. She is also the founder of training and development company called Master Brand. Master Brand focuses on small businesses and helps them scale-up their processes and align with the brand ideologies of larger, impactful brands.

How long have you been an entrepreneur?

She has been an entrepreneur for nine years. Before that, she was working in the corporate world. She was a marketing executive at her previous job. She took all the discipline and learning from her previous job and applied it in her business.

What is one belief or habit that has really changed your life?

Jennifer is highly invested in her emotional intelligence and personal development. She makes sure to make solo camping trip once in a year, be by herself. That clears the emotional clutter in her brain. She herself has a coach who helps her keep her mind bright and to make sure Jennifer is performance oriented. Jennifer also believes meditation can help her focus more on her goals and keep a balance in her life.

What is the difference between building a business and building a brand?

Anybody can build a business, create products, put them in the market and earn profit from them. The biggest difference between that and building a brand is that when you build a brand, you build a community around it. If you want to step in business, make sure to make a change and not just to commoditize. Try to create a community, let people feel part of it when they use your product. This is what you call building a brand. When you build a brand, you let people become ambassadors of your product. People would feel they are a part of your brand and that is how you will create an everlasting impact on your brand.

What is one action step for building a brand?

Think of how you can make people feel when they use your product. Ask yourself if you can somehow get them involved with your product, with your company. First, you need to know what you do on the surface; what is the main item/commodity that you provide. Then think of ways you can hook everyone’s attention with it so they feel connected with your business.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

One of her mentors said to her that “making money is boring but the boring stuff makes you money”. This is why it is important to bring in passion to your business otherwise you will never be able to enjoy the process and you will never feel fulfilled in your business.